GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | 1 -- -- -- |-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- | | | | | The Phytotomidæ, or Plant-cutters, are singular thick-billed birds, strictly confined to the temperate regions of South America. The single genus, _Phytotoma_, is found in Chili, La Plata, and Bolivia. Their affinities are uncertain, but they are believed to be allied to the series of families with which they are here associated. (Plate XVI. Vol. II. p. 128). FAMILY 43.--EURYLÆMIDÆ. (6 Genera, 9 Species.) GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- 3. 4 |-- -- -- -- | | | | | The Eurylæmidæ, or Broad-bills, form a very small family of birds, often adorned with striking colours, and which have their nearest allies in the South American Cotingidæ. They have a very limited distribution, from the lower slopes of the Himalayas through Burmah and Siam, to Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. They are evidently the remains of a once extensive group, and from the small number of specific forms remaining, seem to be on {295}the road to extinction. Thus we may understand their isolated geographical position. The following are the names and distribution of the genera:-- _Eurylæmus_ (2 species), Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo; _Corydon_ (1 species), Malacca, Sumatra and Borneo (Plate IX. Vol. I. p. 339); _Psarisomus_ (1 species), Himalayas to Burmah, up to 6,000 feet; _Serilophus_ (2 species), Nepal to Tenasserim; _Cymbirhynchus_ (2 species), Siam to Sumatra and Borneo; _Calyptomena_ (1 species), Penang to Sumatra and Borneo. FAMILY 44.--DENDROCOLAPTIDÆ. (43 Genera, 217 Species.)